Apparatus for driving tunnels



Jan. 20, 1931. H. H. FISHER APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS Filed Feb. :5, 192s- 6 sheets-sheet 1 nu. um.

um v

Jan. 20, 1931.

H. H. FISHER APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS Filed Feb.

,3, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 EBEE-'LDB ,1w/f. www r .Mn IH E Jan. 20, 1931. H. H. FISHER 1,789,735

APPARATUS EYOR DRIVING TUNNELS Jan. 20, 1931.

H. H. F|sHER` APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS Filed Feb. s, 192e 6 Sheets-Shout 4 Jan. 20, 1931. H. H. FISHER 1,789,735

' APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS Filed Feb. 3, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 figg, 6.

Jam 20, 1931 H. H. FISHER Y APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 3, 1926 Patented Jan. 2G, 1931 PTN'-'f-ferFl-Cs HARRY-H. FISHER, GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TUNNELS' Application' tiled February My invention relates, more particularly, to

driving of the tunnel with the expenditureia of less amounts o texplosives than heretofore required; and to minimize the number ot operations required' for handling the material displaced in the blasting operation, resulting inthe reduction of labor costs and expediting the tunneling operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view in elevation through 'the head end of a tunnel which is being driven in accordance 'ith my improved method and involving the use of apparatus involving my invention, only that portion. ot the apparatus which is located closely adjacent to the tace portion of the tunnel beingT shown in this ligure, the receiver portion ofthe appara-tias being shown b v a View in longitudinal sectional elevation taken at the line l-l on Figure '12 and viewed in the. direction ot the arrows. Figure 2 is a plan View ot the portion-of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a view like Fig. 1 and forming a continuation thereof, this view showing two of the cars eniployed for removing the sections of the receiver, this view showing the innermost and intermediate sections ot the receiver in a position in which they are withdrawn from the position shown in Fig. 1. these sections heilig shown by views in vcrtim-d longitudinal section. Figure -l is a plan rica' of the portion of the ailiparalus shown in Fig. il. Figure 3" is a continuation of the tunnel structure .and apparatus sho-.vn in Fig. 3. this viewshmving the outermost one of the receiver sections in vertical longitudinal section and the cars upon which this section, and also the hauling mecha m, are carried. Figure fr is a plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3a. Figure 5 is an enlarged, brosten view in vertical longi- Specifically a, 192s. serial 1%10. 85,730.

tudinal sectional elevation of that portion of the apparatus shown at lthe yright-hand side of Fig. l'. Figure 6 is a view in end elevation ofthe portion' of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the structure being viewed from the right-h and end of this ligure. Figure 7 is an enlarged sectiontakeu at the line 7-7 on Fig. 3 andvieived inthe direction of the arrows, with the .upper portion ,of the receiversection therein shown, broken away. Figure 8 is a Viewlsniev-hat, in the-"nature of a diagram of thel supl'i'iting structure forthe'r'eceiver illustrated' in' Fig. '1 and. illustrating the means employed in the illustrated .embodiment'of my invention, for preventing" friction between the sections of the receiver' inthe operation of separating these sections; and Figure 9 a view like Fig. 1 showing a modification 'ofthe arrangement of the e'xplosive charges 4in the face.-portion of the tunnel, and a modifications-affaire apparatus for removing the' displaced, blasted, material.

Referring to the tunneling operation and t-he apparatus for producing the same, shown in Figs. 1 'to 8, inclusive, a tunnel in the process of being formed is illustrated at 10, F ig. 1 showing by the dotted lines 11 the face of the tunnel before the blasting thereof by explosive charges positioned in thc drill holes 12, and .by full lines the tace portionotl the tunnel after these charges have been tired. u In'accordance with this feature of the invention the face portion instead of being substantially vertical throughout' its height is generally inclined downwardly from the top of the tunnel in a forward direction to a point slightly above the floor ot the tunnel and from this point downwardly is substantially vertical, as shown, the drill holes 12 extending substantially at right angles tothe portions of the face in which they are located. I nother words. the drill holes 12 in the inclined portion of the face extend generally in an upward and forward direction and the. drill holes inthe. vert-ical face extend generally in a horizont-al direction. This feature of the invention which is of great utilityV in connection with the apparatus hereinafter described, but

which also has great usefulness irrespective of such apparatus, is of great value inasmuch as the amount of explosive required to be, used in blasting a given amount of material 'is much less than if the face of the tunnel were vertical throughout its height, as the forcerequired toblastpthe overhead material .is considerablyY less than that required for blasting the'material at a vertical face.

Referring now to the-apparatusillustrat# ed, the tunnel is equipped with a railway track 13 shown as extending forwardly short ot' the face of the tunnel and upon which cars, hereinafter referred to, a'i'e adapted to be run.' Located at the inner end of the track isfa isupporting structure represented generally at "14 for a receiver hereinafter described-this supporting structure. being shown as formed of abottom plate 15 at lwhich the-structure is adapted to'rest upon the floor of the tunnel; van upper forwardly and. downwardly inclined plateportion 1G and supporting girders 17' interposed be, Atween these plates and rigidly'secured there- `to in any desired manner, these girders being of tapered form to support ,the -plate .15 in the forwardly and downwardly.inclined position a's` stated. v v A The supporting structure 114: is provided to supportythe receiver heretofore referred to and represented generally-'at 18 which.

when in the operative position shownfin Fig. 1, is positioned to receive the-blasted material when it is discharged downwardly and rearwardly by exploding the charges in the drill holes 12. The receiver shown is of general trough-form in cross section throughout its length and open at its forward end, it being formed of a plurality of sections arranged in a series extending lengthwise ot the receiver. In the particular embodiment shown in the figures of the drawings now being described. the receiver is formed of two end sections 1 9 and 20 and an intermediate section 21,'the forward end section heilig so shaped, as shown, that it may extend close tothe vertical portion of the faceof the tunnel. The bottom ,portion of the receiver-section 19 is formed of two superposed plates 22 vand 22a. the lon-ermost plate 22 extending rearwardly beyond the rearward edge of the plate 22a a considerable distance as shown. The bottom portion of the intermediate section 21 is formed of two plates 23 and 24. the. plate 23 extending rearwardly beyond the -plate 2l and the plate 24 ext-ending forwardly beyond the plate 2 8. the forward portion of the plate 24 lapping -the rear portion of the plate The bottom portion ot the section 20 is formed of two plates 25 and 26 the plate 25 extending rearwardly beyond the plate 26 and the plate 26 extending forwardly beyond the plate 25 and lapping the rear portion of the as stated.

Vthrnighout portions of their length except :where: the sidewalls of adjacent ones of the sections'lap, asv illustrated, 'to provide a. substantially flat surface along the inner sides -of the side Wallsof the receiver sections.

T he sections 19, 20 and 21 when assembled tothe position shown in Fig. 1 form a single receiver upon which the blasted material discharges as for example, generally to the position shown in this figure, vwherein -the material ,is represented at 27` these sections Abeing separable, each for supporting a. portion of thefmass 27 of blasted material, ,by relative movement of these sections lengthwise of the receiver structure, the provision of the lapped ,bottom and side walls adapting these sections-to retain thereon the entire load of material, when these sections arepseparated thus avoiding the dropping of the material from these sections.

The receiversections, after becoming charged with the blasted material, are vsuccess'ively drawn backwardly from the position shown in Fig.v 1, preferably to a position in which each is supported on a. separate car located on the track' 13, and to facilitate the movement of the sections to the assembled polsition shown in Fig. l and to the disassembled position in which they are supported on 'the cars referred to. the supporting structure 14 provided with rollers 2S Vjoilrnalled on the supporting structure at opposite sides thereof. The rollers 28 are directly sup- I'iorted on girders 29 extending lengthwise ot' the structure let, one at each side thereof and located in spaces defined by the plates 15 and 16 and certain of the girders 17, the plate 16 containing apertures 30 registering with the respective wheels 28. Inasnluch as great force will be exerted against the `receiver 18 in the discharge ofthe material into it, it is desirable that the rollers 28 be withdrawn from a position in which they support the receiver and that the receiver rest directly on the heavy. highly resistant, plate-like top portion of the supporting structure 14 during the blasting operation. To this end the girders 29 are so mounted that by shifting them lengthwise in one direction or the other, the rollers 28 will be nlioved into or ont of aposition in which they engage with the bottom portion of the receiver. In the particular arrangement shown cach girder is provided at its underside with blocks 31 having fiat. horizontal bottom surfaces at which these girders engage with the upper fia-t horizontal surfaces of cross members 32 extending between` and rigidly secured to, the girders 17 between which the girders 29 are 'lo-I vinflar-:i

cated whereby when the girders 29 are 'in' the ,position'shown in Fig. 8 the rollers- 28 extend below', and out 'of' contact'witli, 'the' bottom portions of the reeeiverisections,:and'wlien i these girdersare shifted-'toithe left' infFigi 1, these rollers 'are forced fa the" bottom lportion o'the receiver sections" yand into" a position in'wliich the' latter are supported on fthe rollers. a suitable inins for tliu's operatingithe gil-ders 29, I provide' th'efineehanisms showin which comprise shaft-s 33`ha'v- 'ing threaded' connection 'with the` rearmost one` ot .the cross vmembers 32 with rot'z'it'aole connections between their' ioiw'ai'd endsiand n'ithbratkets 311 depending from the' girders "Qf l`t he"`sh,afts '34 heiligheid against move- "nient lengthwise in thesetbracketsjby stop inea'ns' lon the shafts Theishafts 33 are 'i -`rotated in either'dii""c`ction 'as desired, by any suitable means, as for example lever-operated "ratchet mechanisms represented gcnerallyat ,36, M

diagrainmatieally'in Fig. 8 totherb'ott'oni portions'oal'l'of these seetionsThi's is et- -feeted i in they particnla r construction shown by so A positie-ning those of the"rollers 28 which engage' the'bo'ttom portion ot the section QZ? that thev extendagreater distanceI through the openings than in the ease ot those of' the rollers QS which engage the hoti'on'i portion of the intern'iediatesection 21, and so dispose these l:\.sl'i'efei.'1'edto rollers -that they'eat'end through ,the openings'fl() a greater 'distance than the rollers wliich'engage the hottom portion of the forwardmost seet-ion'lfl. In this' connection it may 'be stated that the fuel lines in Fig. 8 represent the rollers in "the posi tiouthegT occup)T when they are withdrawn troi'na position in which A {lieg-(weiter is supportedthereon, and by dot- .ted lines the position thejgv oeeupywhen raised to support thereeeiver. Assuming that the reet-liverl has, received the body 27 of material displaced' hy the blasting operation. and that the operator has shiftedthe girelers '29 to the right inA Fig. 1 to a position in which the receiver sections are rear section 20ct the receiver is'iirstdrawn rearwardly ont ol. a position in which it is telescoped with the intermediate section '21, as for example by means of cable mechanism 'represented generally at 37 which 'is hooked It is desirable that the lapped bottom porsupported on the rollers QSas explained, the

'20 is drawn up 4the 'supporting member 14:.

- and 'along' the roller-'equipped i portions IIl() ot other cars ,41 :and 42 supported on the track 13, an lI thence along the 'rollerLequipped portion 40j 'of another ca'i-43 onl which: this sec- Vtionis tn 'b'e carried to the point of discharge.:-

".l'hefcables. STareffthen econnected with the -rei end 'of th'eintermediate receivcrseetions I*21 'andthi'sse'etion then dran-*nap the snpporting struct-ure 14C and across the ear 41 to 'learryingfposit-io'n v'on 'thecar 42, and there-I' upon theorwai'jdsection 19 is drawn upiwaidly.to carryingposition on the ear 41. the ears" re'fe'rred'tofand coupled together being then l'n'oiedA along'th'e track to the point of lis'el1 arge;"'where the various vreceiver seetions -may be relievediof their contents in any y desirable manner'. e

In order thatjspil-ling of the n iaterialfroln fthe, 'various separated sections, be-entirely iobvi'ated, i it is" i preferred' that f the bottoni f plate 'portion' -lof ea'el'i'. lfrecjeiverjsheet-ion, f at its -e"ntls be' provided-' with'bords represented at :44 which may be' "provided as strt'lctures sep- Yai'ate from 'thesections and'removahly held wardlyrom the bottoms: of the sections.

f: Referring to'Fi'g. Q-W'herein I have shown slight modifica-tion ofthe-arrangement ot "eiplosive-'e'harges'anda modification of the '-apparatusff'r' i'sposing of the blasted mas ferial, the'facefof-thetunnel, instead of being substantiallywplane at its inclined portion, as represented-in Fig. 1 is shown as ot stepped ormand the charges 'for blasting the material aref located 'in drill holes provided in a seriesot groups represented at 45,

4G and 47,'a'nd located in a different horizontal plane-,with each group segregated from the-others. This arrangement, which. hou'- ever, is within my invention, results in the blasing, with each blasting operation, of a plurality of overhead sections 48, 49 and 50 .in different planes, butin downward direction to a receiver', the sections 48, 49 and 50 being boundedby the dot-ted lines 51, 52 and 3. The e'e'ct of providing the overhead face of Athe tunnel 'and' grouping the drill holes as shown and' described is substantiall)1 the 'same 'as inthe'construction shown in Fig.

1 and the benefits ot blasting the materials generally in a downward direct-ion through out the greater portion of the face of the tun nel, results from such method of tunnel blast-ing.

Thereeeiver member illustrated in this Fig. instead of, being of the teleseoping trough type shown i'n the preceding figures, is formed lof a longitudinal series of boxlike Vsections 54, 55 and 56 having open tops, and with the forwardmost end portion 5T of the -before described, the rollers 7 (not shown),

need not be located indifferent planes as described of the rollers28,.inasmuch as the sections-.54, and 56 are .not provided with lapped portions which, Aif spaced apart, would produce objectionable friction in the displacement of the. receiver sections Afrom the material-receiving position shown in Fig. 9. I

It will be understood that, as the driving of the tunnel progresses, the track 13 will be extended forwardly Vand the supporting structure for the receiver, accordingly advanced, to cause 4the receiver member to extend in .the most advantageous position. Any suitable means adapting the supporting structure to be advanced may be employed, as for example that shown in Figs. l to 8, inclusive, and comprising acks 58 secured to, and arranged at intervals along, the opposite sides ofthe supporting structure '14 and each provided with a flangedwheel 59 extending above a track G0 below it, the wheels 59 being rotatably mounted in .bearing heads 6l adjustable upand down, as for example by means of threaded shafts 62 having threaded engagement with stationary bearing heads 63 on the structure 14. The jacks are so disposed that when in one position the structure 14 rests flatwise against the floor of the tunnel and when adjusted to another position7 by rotating the shaft 62, the structure 14 is supported wholly through the medium of the wheels 59 adapting the structure to be readily shifted into and out of a position adjacent the face of the tunnel.

It will be understood that the method and apparatus according to my invention may be employed not only in tunneling operations for driving bores, as in the case of road or railway tunnels, but also in tunneling operations performed in mining.

lVhile I have illustrated andv described my improved method as practiced in certain particular ways and have shown certain constrnctions of apparatus embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto, as various modifications, changes and alterations may be made in the apparatus and the method varii ons-ly altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure b v Letters Patent, is: J

l. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receiver member positioned to have material blasted directly into it, a stationary supporting member therefor, and wheels carried by one of said members and adjustable up and down thereon into and out of aI position in which said receiver member is supported at said Wheels.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receiver member positioned to have material blasted directly into it, a stationary supporting member therefor,

Wheels carried by one of said members land adustable up and down thereon into and out v. of a position in which said receiver member the combination of a receiver member, a supporting member therefor having a forwardly and downwardly inclined upper surface, and wheels von Vone ofl said members adjustable up and down thereoninto and out of a position in which said receiver memberis supported at said wheels, said supporting member having a portion upon Whlch said recelver member rests when said wheels are withdrawn from- ,supporting position.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a receiver member, a supporting member therefor having a forwardly and downwardly inclined upper surface, and wheels on said supporting member and disposed in a series substantially? forwardly and downwardly inclined and adjustable up and down on said supporting member into and out of a position Ain which said receiver member is supported at said wheels.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting member, a receiver member thereon formed of separable sections arranged in a series extending lengthwise of said receiver member with the bottom plates of adjacent sections lapped in the assembled condition of said sections, and members on said supporting member at which said receiver member is supported, said last-referred-to members being arranged at such heights relative to each other that the lapped bottom-plate portions of said receiver sections will extend out of a position in which they frictiona-lly engage with each other in the separation of said sections in a direction lengthwise of said receiver member.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting member, a receiver member thereon formed of separable sections arranged in la series extending lengthwise of said receiver member with the bottom plates of adjacent sections lapped in the assembled condition of said sections, and

` wheels on said supporting member at which said receiver member is supported, said wheels being arranged at such heights relative to each other that the lapped bottom plate-portions of said receiver sections will extend into a position in which they do not frictionally engage with each other in the separation of said sections in a direction lengthwise of said receiver.

8. A receiver comprising separable trough sections disposed in a series extending lengthwise of the receiver, with the bottom and side portions thereof in lapped relation, those of the bottom-lapped portions which are uppermost being upwardly offset relative to the remainder of the bottom portions of which they are parts.

9. A. receiver comprising separable trough sections disposed in a series extending lengthwise of the receiver, with the bottom and side portions thereof in lapped relation, those of the bottom-lapped portions which are uppermost being upwardly ofset relative to the remainder of the bottom portions of which they are parts and those of the sidelapped portions which are innermost being inwardly oit'set relative to the remainder of the side portions of which-they are parts.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the'combination of a receiver member positioned to have material blasted directly into it, a stationary supporting member therefor, wheels between said receiver member and said supporting member and by which said receiver member is supported on said supporting member in the movement of said receiver member along said supporting member, and means whereby said wheels may be relieved of the forces exerted against said receiver member in receiving the blasted material.

11. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a receiver member, a supporting member therefor' having a forwardlv and downwardly inclined upper surface, wheels between said receiver member and said supporting member and by which said receiver member is supported on said supporting member in the movement of said receiver member alon said supporting member, and means where y said wheels may be relieved of the forces exerted against said receiver member in receiving the blasted material.

HARRY H. FISHER. 

